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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To laugh at ridiculous neighbour

53 replies

Pettynotvindictive · 06/04/2018 17:21

In the garden today, pruned some fruit bushes and pulled up some sprouting sprigs with roots intact.

Thinking it's wasteful to throw it, I hear neighbour next door and offer it to them she takes it says thanks and I get on with gardening.

Then her dad says to her "I don't want anything off of her" (in Hindi. I speak and understand Hindi, they don't know this) and storms out rips sprout apart throws it in bin.

I'm stunned and start laughing- always my go to reaction.

We've had issues in the past - they don't like me not letting them park over my drive, I complain if they make noise past 10:30pm or moan if they have loud parties.

He calls me, in his language, unreasonable English white idiot.

Maybe I should just translate everything he says to everyone!

OP posts:
halfwitpicker · 06/04/2018 18:45

Its like that episode of Seinfeld with the Korean beautician

halfwitpicker · 06/04/2018 18:48

Yes, do report back and please tell us how you know hindi!

isthistoonosy · 06/04/2018 18:53

This was my Dads favorite thing, he spoke a few languages and people never guessed which he could speak / understand.
On the whole he never let on, it gives you the knowledge of who to be rude to / ignore. Now you know the rest of the family are nice normal people and the dad is a twat - that's useful to know about your neighbours.

TabbyMack · 06/04/2018 18:57

I’m glad you laughed and I hope he heard you. That is far more wounding to tossers like that than insults could ever be.

SluttyButty · 06/04/2018 19:19

It's great fun isn't it? I can understand Gujarati and I love sitting on busses listening into conversations when they have no idea I can understand them I think I may have too much time on my hands 😂

Original poster
Pettynotvindictive · 06/04/2018 19:41

Someone asked how I know Hindi.

I had shit childhood ended when mum killed herself and left me blamed by dad. I was 12.

My best friends mum absorbed me.
Showed me what parenting should be. Taught me Hindi and pushed me to learn other languages.

I speak Hindi, Urdu, German and Spanish.

I love that woman fiercely.

OP posts:
RhiWrites · 06/04/2018 19:58

Sorry to hear that, OP. But glad your best friend’s mum was a rock for you. Dou you get to use those languages?

AdoraBell · 06/04/2018 20:01

Mums friend sounds awesome Petty I’m so glad you had her in your life. Sorry to hear about your tough childhood and the loss of your mum 💐

Dragoner · 06/04/2018 20:07

BF's mum sounds awesome. How brilliant that you know those languages.

Original poster
Pettynotvindictive · 06/04/2018 20:31

Thanks all.
I used to use them all when I worked at the airport translating for customs.

Not so much now apart from helping gcse or A level studies for German and Spanish.
I use the Urdu or Hindi when I want to freak someone out!

OP posts:
Original poster
Pettynotvindictive · 06/04/2018 20:36

Although, I think next door have read this.

They are being scarily quiet.
Be a bitch if my secret came out through mumsnet!!!

OP posts:
throwawayagain · 07/04/2018 21:12

I speak German.
I had a great job role where I visited Germany almost weekly. I was a buyer, and had to spend many hours in supplier meetings.
We strategically decided that we would not inform them of my language understanding. It was incredible, because they would literally discuss very confidential information in German, then state something totally different in English.
I was acing that job! They wondered why I was able to quite accurately negotiate the lowest costs, and great terms for our company.
Then my ridiculous boss ruined it, by telling them to email me in German, to save time. Confused

Don't tell them!!! 😊

Angie169 · 07/04/2018 21:21

ha ha love bluntness idea, they could not realistically get cross with you but could say that your 'friend ' has made a mistake and this ( in Hindi ) is how it should be said . you could keep this up for ages and he would inadvertently teach you how to speak his language.

tiggersneverdie · 07/04/2018 21:25

White isn't a protected characeteristic Race is though. Anyone can be a racist, and anybody can be a victim of racism.

tiggersneverdie · 07/04/2018 21:29

Angie and Bluntness I would so do that, if it were me. Brilliant idea.

Mumontherocks1 · 07/04/2018 21:34

Did you post about a similar incident a while ago?

youarenotkiddingme · 07/04/2018 21:37

Best way - just laugh.

We had problems with some teen girls thinking they could hang out on our front garden (because there's no fence Hmm).

They always spoke English. One day they walked past, looking at me and speaking in Spanish to each other. I had NO idea they could speak it (don't think they are Spanish iyswim?). They also clearly didn't know I'd not long moved back from there.

They soon realised when I looked up and told them that if anything happened to my property I wild immediately be blaming them as whether their plans to "egg my window" that night were just talk or not they'd put themselves in the frame.

They didn't do much as speak either language when they walked past for a long time after that Grin

MrsCrabbyTree · 08/04/2018 00:58

I used to work in a take-away. One day the owners little 4yo disappeared and so the mum and dad were conversing in their own language but I jumped into the conversation mentioning when I last saw the child. Mum was horrified*, thinking I could speak their language but relaxed when I said I couldn't but I spoke 'mother' quite well. Smile

(She was *horrified because they did talk about me in their own language - it was so obvious when they did.)

GreyGardens88 · 08/04/2018 01:34

Are you sure you aren't being unreasonable with your moaning? People do have lives after 10:30pm especially at weekends..

Original poster
Pettynotvindictive · 08/04/2018 09:09

I understand lives after 10:30 but not getting his brother round to noisy fix a door!

OP posts:
Original poster
Pettynotvindictive · 08/04/2018 09:12

Mumontherocks1 - I have no idea how to bold things!

I've posted on a thread before about mums death but first time I've bitched about neighbour

OP posts:
HappydaysArehere · 08/04/2018 09:24

The only thing that I could not stand is parking over my drive. It brings on an anger that is uncontainable, especially since the other day it happened when I had an urgent doctors appointment!! Grrrrrrrr!

Original poster
Pettynotvindictive · 08/04/2018 09:24

Used my Urdu yesterday.

Was getting parking validated at hospital security, two men arrived behind me at make disgusting, racial slurs about security guy.

I call them out in English, they look shocked and i say they should now leave, pay their own parking as a lesson or, if they prefer, I'll translate what they said and security could choose.

They left.

OP posts:
WhereIsBlueRabbit · 08/04/2018 19:23

Petty, that's brilliant!Grin

I once gave my downstairs (Polish, this is relevant) neighbour a shock when I asked him to turn his music down. He smirked and claimed not to speak English. He got quite a shock when I repeated my request in Polish, smiling but eyeballing him. Grin

RebootYourEngine · 08/04/2018 19:47

I love this thread. I always wished that i could speak another language.

I wouldnt tell them that you know the language but i would continue mentioning things that they have said in their own language.